Wind-box for gas-producers.



APPLICATION FILED MAB.23, 1908.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w. R.- MILLER. WIND BOX FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

llNi l-IED curios,

WILLIAM R. MILLER, PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PORTER MILLER ENGI- v NEERING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

WIND-B OX FOE GAS-PRODUCER S.

Patented Jan. 5, 190a.

, 7 Application filed. March 23, 1908. I Serial No. 422,623.

. To all whom it may concern:

Boxes for Gas-Producers, of which the lollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

' My invention refers to improvements in gas producers, more particularly to the class of water-seal gas producers, and relates to the wind box for supplying air to the fuel in combustion and to its construction and mechanism for rotating it, whereby to disturb or agitate theiuel contents, during the air sup ly period.

In t e operation of gas producers using bituminous or other fuel in a loose state, the

fuel charge is apt to become lodged or bridged Within the reducer walls, arresti11 the operation, an requiring the use of po lrers from above to disturb the fuel and insure its continuous downward travel.

In carrying out my invention I employ a rotatable wind box, mounted within the producer upon a suitable support and provided with means for supplying air to the interior of the box at all positions in the manner shown in the drawings and as hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a partial sectional elevation of a producer illustrating the apparatus in cross section. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially broken away, indicated by the line ll. 11. of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views illustrating a modified construction. Fig. 5 is a partial sectional elevation of a producer similar to Fig. l, but showing a modified construction. Fig. 6 is a plan view partially in section indicated by the line VI. VI. of Fig. 5.

The roducer 2 as shown in the drawings is usua ly cylindrical in cross section, provided with the customary charging hopper having suitable feeding mechanism and a gas outlet, (not shown) at its upper portion.

3 is the water-seal basin, into which the ashes are deposited and from which they are removed from time to time, the entire upper I portion of the producer being supported above said basin by means of any suitable supporting structure as posts 1.

5 is the wind box consisting oi a sermon trically arranged hollow ring of any suitable construction in cross section and preferably provided on its u per main body portion with outwardly and ing faces 6. 7 oppositely disposed and so arranged that the ashes, etc, will pass down wardly and to the outside and inside of the wind box respectively.

inwardly diverging slop-.

8 represents a supplemental similarly arranged coping 'annularly disposed upon the annular apex of the box 5, having similar outwardly and inwardly disposed sloping faces, while between the main box 5 and supplemental coping 8, are intervening inner and outer air outlet openings 9 arranged annular-1y around the structure, while similar series of air outlet openings 10 are arranged upon the inside and outside of the main wind box 5, for the purpose of providing a frecfldistribution to the fuel.

The entire wind box, as thus constructed, is rotatably mounted upon a central rotating hollow air supply post 11, .rotatably set in the central portion of the basin 3 in any suitable manner to insure a water-ti ht joint. The lower ortion of said he ow 0st is provided with any convenient means tor rotating it, as a worm wheel 12 and wormv 13, the device being rotatably mounted upon a supporting base 14 of any suitable construction, with intervenin rolling bearin s 15 if desired, located within a suitab e cavity 16 below the water basin. The hollow interior of post 11 is maintained in communication with an air and steam supply opening 17 leading to any source of pressure as a pump or blower, and it will be understood that the connection therewith may be otherwise made to maintain constant connection with the blast. The upper end of the hollow post 1]. is preferably tapered toward a central point and of cone form as indicated at 18, so as to deflect the ashes downwardly and outwardly around the hollow post, while the wind box 5 is connected with the post by a series of hollow supporting arms l i), three of such arms being shown in the drawings.

For the purpose of facilitating rotation of the device and of avoiding the obstructing pressure of the fuel, arms 19 are preferably made in diamond form in cross section or of any other suitable shape to more readily pass through the descending body of ashes. For the purpose of providingmeans for disturbing the fuel immediately adjacent to the wind box, it may be provided with projecting prongs or fingers a arranged upon the exterior or interior of the upper portion of the box, or both, and at any desired angle, so that when the box is rotated, the said prongs will operate to dislodge any fixed or ridged fuel and insure its fall by gravity 5 in the usual manner. Such construction is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown-a modified construction in which the wind box is rotatably mounted upon a circular supporting base 20, for which purpose the base oi the Wind box may be set upon said base within inner and outer retaining flanges as shown, or mounted in any other suitable manner. The base 20 is supported upon suitably located standards 21' of any convenient construction, as hollow pipe, and for the purpose of supplying air or air and steam to the interior of the wind box, one or more of said pipe supports 21 is connected by supply pipe 22 with a blower or any suitable air and steam supply device 23. The sup ly of'air and steam through said pipe ant hollow standard to the wind box is under control so that the gas maker can force more or less air to the box, depending on the nature of the fuel or the condition of the gas required. It will be understood that in such construc tion the base of the wind box is hollow and either continuously open throughout its cross area for the entire circumference, or crossed at intervals with bracing sections,

. but so arranged that in whatever position the wind box may occupy on the supportin base 20, a continuous suiply of air ant steam may be distributed t H'Hllgll standard 21" to its interior. I

For the purpose of rotating the wind box, it is provided with an annular rack 24 at any convenient position, but preferably in its interior as shown, whereby such gearing is protected from the cil'ec't of the fuel in combustion, and said rack 24 engaged by the pinion 25 located at the upper end of shaft 26 extending through one of the hollow supports 21 and mounted. in suitable journal bearings 27, 28. The shaft 26 is provided with a bevel gear 2.) into which meshes the driving pinion 30 oi shaft 3. driven from any outslde source of power, or power may be imparted to shaft 5 through other suitable or convenient means. it will also be understood that any other mechanism may be employed for rotating the wind I box.

The operation and advantages a." he invention will be readily understood and appreciated by all those familiar with gas producer construction or operation inasmuch as it avoids the necessity of )oking the fuel from above and insures regular even opera-- tion.

The construction of the device, the arof hollow supporting means in communication with a source of fluid supply, a hollow circular open-center" wind box having laterally arranged outlet openings rotatably mounted on said supp l communicating therewith, and means for I rotating the wind box.

i 3. In a gas producer, the combination with a source of air supply, of a horizontally orally arranged outlet openings and outer and inner downwardly diverging slo ing walls, and meansfor rotating the wind ox.

4. In a gas producer, the combination with a source of air supply, of a horizontally rotatable open-center wind box having laterally arranged outlet openings, outer and inner downwardly diverging slo ing Walls, and an up er coping, and means or rotating the wind ox.

5. In a gas producer, the combination with a source of air su ply, of a centrally arranged hollow rotatablb post communicating therewith and provided with an open-center wind box communicating with the interior of the hollow post, and means for rotating the hollow post.-

6. In a gas roducer, the combination with a source oi air su 1y, of a centrally larranged hollow rotatable post commun1- eating therewith and provided with a wind g box connected with the hollow post by hollow arms, and means for rotating the hollow post.

7. The combination with a rotatable hollow post, of a hollow wind box and hollow supporting arms having an angular cross section for the pur ose set forth, and means I for rotating the ho low post.

i The combination with a rotatable hollow post havin a conil'orin top, of a hollow wind box, he low sup orting arms, and

'; means for rotating the ollow post.

9. in a gas producer, the combination with a source of air su ly, of a centrally j arranged hollow rotatable post communica ting therewith, a hollow circular wind box j surrounding the upper portion of said post,

1 hollow supporting arms communicating with l the hollow post and with the wind box, and

f means for rotating the hollow post, substantially as set forth.

' it). A circularrotatable open-center wind orting means and 2. The combination with a gas producer,

rotatable open-center wind box having lat- 908,479 &

ings and rojeoting prongs, and means for support and means for rotating it located rotating t e .wind box, substantially as set at its base, of a superimposed open center forth. l Wind box communicating with said support.

5 f 11. In a gas producer, the combination In testimony whereof I affix my signature l5 -th a centrally arranged hollow rotatable in presence of two Witnesses.

box having laterally arranged outlet open I with a centrally arranged hollow rotatable sipport and means for rotating it, of a WILLIAM R. MILLER. superimposed open center wind box com- Witnesses: municatlng with said support. 0. M. CLARKE,

12. Ina gas-producer, the combination CHAs. S. LEPLEY. 

